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Ms Allen said: "National statistics for mental ill health show that one in four people every year are affected and I don't think that's very different in respect of teaching to other professions.

"When we are involved in casework, schools are seeking support with colleagues for performance or absence related issues."

She added: "A large amount is to do with mental ill health and relates to the pressures of Ofsted."

The data showed Suffolk had an average of 14,540 teachers from 2010 to 2012.

Reasons given for absence have included stress, back and neck problems, viral infections, industrial injury, skin conditions and road traffic accidents.

Graham White, secretary of the Suffolk branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said: "The vast majority of teachers are going off through work-related stress and that~s down to a mixture of the pressures of Ofsted and increased workloads.

"Ofsted is really not helping at all because it is a punitive, not supportive measure."

Mr White added: "Staff feel they are being overworked and that it doesn't matter how much they put in, how hard they work and how good they are because it's still not good enough.

"That's not a criticism of headteachers because they are having a lot of pressure put on them by the authority and by Ofsted because it doesn't want lots of schools in special measures."

But Ofsted has hit back at claims it is to blame for spiralling teacher sickness.

The organisation said in a statement: "Inspectors understand that teaching is hard work and can be stressful and do all they can to put staff at ease.

"Since September schools have been inspected with very little notice, which we believe helps to minimise the pressure on teachers.

"The headteacher and senior staff of any school also have a role to play in ensuring the experience for teaching staff during inspection is properly managed."